Philadelphia plans first U.S. citywide Wi-Fi network Originally slated to be a WI-FI hotspot around Love Park, a new announcement describes the new network to cover the city's entire 135-square-mile area, marking a U.S. first. The access pricing would be around $20 a month- about half the going rate from commercial providers. If they can pull this off, it should accomplish two things- a) showcase Philly as a much more 'tech friendly' location and b) reduce the barriers to internet access to low- and moderate-income communities. I'm surprised at the move, albiet hopeful for it's success. In the recent era of budget slashing and program cancellations in Philly, a new infrastructure build would the the last thing that you would expect to hear coming from the Mayor's office, though this initiative could certainly have positive economic benefits for the city.